Monday, November 9, 1998 Published at 12:01 GMTWorld: AfricaJesse Jackson begins West Africa missionJackson says there are positive signs for democracyPresident Clinton's special envoy for Africa, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, is in Nigeria at the start of a four-nation tour of West Africa to try to promote stability in the
region.

The American civil rights leader is due to meet the
new military leader, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and other senior officials.

Mr
Jackson told the BBC he had been impressed by the way General Abubakar had begun
to carry out his promises of democratic reform.

He will
also see representatives of the Ogoni ethnic minority on
the eve of the third anniversary of the execution of nine activists, including
the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Encourage democracy

The main purpose of Mr Jackson's visit - which also takes in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ghana - is to drive home a message first spelt out by President Clinton during his grand tour of the continent earlier this year.

General Abubakar: "A leader of stature and strength"

He will be telling his hosts that the US wants to encourage democracy in Africa; feels that trade rather than aid should be the focus for future partnerships; and that Washington is ready to help Africa address its own security problems.

Mr Jackson said that hope was rising again in Nigeria after what he termed "the tremendous trauma" of General Abacha's leadership.

Political activity was suppressed when the late General Abacha came to
power following the annulment of the last democratic elections in 1993.

But with the recent registration of nine political parties there are signs that free party politics are returning to the country for the first time in five years.

General Abubakar's new military government, which took power when General Abacha unexpectedly died in June, has promised democratic elections early next year and the race for the presidency has already begun.

Positive signs

Chief Abiola, who died in July, is presumed to have won the 1993 elections

Out of the nine parties registered only those which prove in local elections next month that they have significant nationwide support will be allowed to contest next year's national elections.

Mr Jackson says he hopes that his visit will encourage the Nigerian leader to continue the democratisation process that he had started.

"We've not reached the high noon of democracy yet, but there are some very good signs."